Liu Lijun is a Chinese graduate student at UCLA who is reportedly facing deportation after her student VISA was revoked on February 1, 2025 due to her involvement in anti-genocide demonstrations. She is now in the process of being deported.

 

 

On January 31, President Trump issued an executive order allowing VISA revocation for international students involved in protests deemed antisemitic or politically sensitive.

 

The government claims that the revocation of the Lijun's visa was for "supporting Hamas."

 

The fact is, she was marching to ensure women and children are kept safe in Gaza. That is not in itself a pro-Hamas statement. Is it?

 

If this executive order executive remains in effect and without a legal challenge, educational institutions in the U.S. could see fewer international students choosing to apply. 

 

I should note here that this executive order does not apply to pro-genocide protesters even if they were involved in criminal activities such the chemical attack at Columbia University which was directed against pro-Palestinian protesters and using "nail gun" elsewhere against anti-genocide protesters.

 

Civil rights groups and the ACLU filed a lawsuit on March 5, 2025, challenging the executive order as unconstitutional. If policies like the executive order persist, educational institutions in the U.S. could see fewer international students choosing to apply.

 

In the 2023/24 academic year, there were over 1.1 million international students enrolled at US colleges and universities. The majority of international students in the US come from India and China.

 

It is worth noting here that foreign students pay up to three times more than in-state students at public universities. International students may also pay special fees for things like VISA processing and English language exams.

 

President Trump’s 2025 executive order penalizing international students involved in pro-Palestinian protests would have severe impact on its impact on free speech and academic exchange, according to an article by Jim Grey, senior editor (visa verge.com,March 7, 2025).

 

Meanwhile, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told Annenberg Media that cannot confirm that the arrest of Liu Lijun even happened. That begs the question who is running the show in enforcing Trump's executive order targeting international students.

 

If the government managed to deport Liu Linjun back home to China, it would have a chilling effect on freedom of speech across America and Liu Linjun would not be the last international student to be expelled from the US for exercising her right to free speech.